Jeff Hesser

Artist

Jeff Hesser is a senior artist at Harmonix Music Systems, a video game company known for developing music games like Rock Band and Fantasia: Music Evolved. Some key facts about Jeff Hesser:

Background and Education

Hesser is a sculptor with expertise in both traditional and digital techniques1 2 3
He studied literature and philosophy at the University of Chicago before attending art school at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the New York Academy of Art, and the University at Buffalo1

Work at Harmonix

At Harmonix, Hesser currently works as an environment artist on the Harmonix Music VR visualizer for Project Morpheus1 2
He was the Lead Environment Artist on Disney's Fantasia: Music Evolved1 2 3
Hesser has also worked as a character artist on Rock Band 3 and Rock Band 4, and as a generalist on multiple R&D prototypes at Harmonix1 3

Teaching Experience

Hesser has 15 years of teaching experience at the college level and received the Frazier Award for Excellence in Teaching at the Rhode Island School of Design in 20061 2
In addition to RISD, he has taught at the New York Academy of Art, Rhode Island College, the University at Buffalo, and Hubei Normal University in China1 2
He has taught workshops in sculpture, anatomy and/or drawing at companies like Fisher-Price and Turbine, as well as institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City1 2

Sculpture and Exhibitions

Hesser's sculpture has been in solo shows throughout the country and featured in exhibitions at the Dahesh Museum, the National Sculpture Society and the Parrish Art Museum1 2
He recently worked with a programmer and two musicians to create an interactive virtual reality installation featured at an event at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston2